Dr. Matthew Plotkin is a Research Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Medicine at New York Medical College. Following clinical and research training in nephrology and several years in nephrology practice, Dr. Plotkin is currently engaged in basic science research focusing on the molecular biology of adult renal stem and progenitor cells with the long term goal of becoming an independent research scientist in an academic nephrology department. Dr. Plotkin is a member of a lab investigating various aspects of vascular biology relating to renal disease under the direction of Dr. Michael Goligorsky. As a member of the New York Medical College Nephrology Dept., responsibilities also include clinical work and interaction with both clinical and research trainees. Dr. Plotkin is interested in developing expertise in the biology of adult kidney stem cells and their role in microvascular and tubular repair following renal injury. The proposed research project involves study of the differentiation potential of multipotent mesodermal stem cell clones isolated from adult kidneys. In vitro vasculogenesis models will be used to determine the key molecules for inducing vessel formation and maturation from renal vascular progenitor cells. Studies will focus on the effects of cytokines and other molecules known to be activated in renal disease on progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation and identifying novel genes activated or deactivated during progenitor cell differentiation using cDNA microarray analysis. Animal models of vasculogenesis and tissue repair following renal injury will also be used to study the in vivo differentiation potential of these cells. Finally, both in vivo and in vitro studies will be done to determine if progenitor cells are capable of repairing damaged kidney cells by cell fusion as shown in other organs.